


Vod'e An

by Thired (Harke)



Category: Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Gen, Original trans characters - Freeform, anyway this is a loveletter to mando'a, original clone ocs
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-03
Updated: 2020-07-03
Packaged: 2021-03-04 19:01:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 712
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25041337
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Harke/pseuds/Thired
Summary: Mando’a was only introduced to Sgt. Yli and their batchers as they grew older and began mixing with the other squads, that had picked up a word second or third hand. With so little to cling to, some things were held all the more dear. Their squads, their gear, contraband and… bits and pieces of a language that together with stories of legendary warriors caught the imagination of the young clones with ease.
Comments: 5
Kudos: 11





	Vod'e An

**Author's Note:**

> I just rlly like mando'a yall and i live for trans/nb rep so theres that  
> Yli go by they/them, the general of the 068th go by Ze/Hir
> 
> beta'ed by @cmoncmon who's wonderful and very thorough so thank you so much.

Mando’a was only introduced to Sgt. Yli and their batchers as they grew older and began mixing with the other squads, that had picked up a word second or third hand. With so little to cling to, some things were held all the more dear. Their squads, their gear, contraband and… bits and pieces of a language that together with stories of legendary warriors caught the imagination of the young clones with ease. 

To some the allure was the warriors, the battles, the glory that brought them solace. To Yli, who was used to the set way Basic viewed people, Mando’a felt like freedom. In mando’a there was no differentiating the genders, no demanding that Yli be one thing or the other. It didn't tear at something in their chest being called ‘vod’ like it did being called ‘brother’. Not that their batchmates were doing it on purpose but the longer they stayed quiet about the discomfort the more it felt like betrayal to ever tell them. What if they, who by necessity, shared everything, realized that there were some things even they didn't know about their batchers. 

No, no. Yli could not lose focus and they could not tell anyone. If they slowed down, if they broke down even to their batchers, somehow the _kaminiise_ would find out and they’d disappear like the ones the older vode whispered about. 

So Yli stayed silent, kept their head down and did their best to be a model trooper, not outstanding but not at risk of flunking. They learned to recognize chances to stand out and how to lag behind the vod’e just enough to not be conspicuous.Their batchmates noticed of course, but after Stix and Sliver failed their attempts at interrogating their sullen vod they reluctantly backed off. They were all kids, barely five, none of them knew any better and it wasn't like the  _ kaminiise _ had any training modules in gender and sexuality. 

It was only as graduation, and as such the battlefield, neared that Yli realized there was no way around it. It was no secret that squads with a lack of unit cohesion typically flunked to end up force-knows-where. And Ylis batch, while within the normal range, was suffering. Not only on those score-cards the _kaminiise_ were so obsessed with. It wasn't hard to tell Yli’s batchers had noticed their withdrawal. 

They’d gone over the subject in their mind many times. Their batch was likely good enough to get through the tests. But likely was not good enough. Yli would never forgive themself, however briefly that may end up being, if they were the reason they all failed. 

Gathering their four squadmates in a supply closet all five of them had grown too broad shouldered for, Yli floundered for a few seconds before Charge, sitting on an upturned bucket, broke the confused silence. “This isn't ominous at all, vod’ika. If this is about that haul of chocolate-…Oi!” Sliver whapped him over the back of his head. “Just listen for a change, you numbnuts.” 

Sending Sliver a little grateful glance, Yli tried again. Their brothers listened to what little they had to say. Yli didn't have the language to properly describe what they were feeling, they had never been taught about gender variation, only the anatomical differences. Their batchers caught on fast. For all the fear Yli had harbored about just this moment their apologies were cut short by a near-crushing hug from all four of their batchers. 

They were one of the lucky ones, back then and now. Their general was more than accepting, encouraging self-expression, even provided the whole of the 068th with data and a course on the basics of gender and sexuality. There wasn’t much time for those considerations in wartime, but the general did what ze could to make time. 

As a cadet Mando’a was all the vod’e had, all the individuality the _Kaminiise_ grudgingly allowed. Now Yli watched as their vod’e bickered about their favorite pod-racers, new episodes of some holodrama they had found and proudly, if a little obnoxiously at times, painted their armor to their heart’s content. But even with all of these new distinguishing features they all branded, nothing made Yli’s heart soar higher than two simple words; 

_ Vod’e An. _


End file.
